FAQs

I'm new to yoga. Which classes are appropriate for me? How about BDY Barre, BDY Cycle, and BDY Fusion?

If you're new to yoga, try an All-Levels yoga class. All of our classes are open and suitable for everyone, but let your instructor know if it is your first time practicing yoga. We encourage our students to try ALL of our amazing classes. Yoga is our heart and soul, but many of our students find the energizing, up-beat environment of BDY Barre, BDY Cycle, and BDY Fusion to be perfect complements to their yoga practice. Our goal at BDY is to promote a well-rounded sense of health and happiness, and that's why you will find it all at BDY!

My friend loves the heated classes, but I just don't know.

BDY has both heated and non-heated classes of all levels, if you are interested in trying a heated class, we recommend starting with Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday Heated Flow. Keep in mind heated means 86-90 degrees as we create our own heat with movement.

Reserve in advance or walk-in?

If you can reserve online, please do! It will help our staff greatly with the sign in process, and it will make things faster for you too! Just come to the studio no less than fiifteen minutes before class time, otherwise your web reservation may be given to a waiting drop-in student. Keep in mind that if you cancel your class with less than 2 hours notice, you will be subject to a $5 late cancellation fee. If you don't show at all, you will be subject to a $10 no-show fee.

What to wear?

No need to bother with super expensive designer yoga gear – just wear clothes that move with you. No shoes are worn during yoga or BDY Barre. Shoes aren’t even worn in the room where we practice yoga – so please take your shoes off at the door and leave them in the shoe cubby. Shoes are worn, however, in BDY Cycle and BDY Fusion.

Water?

Please bring water, but if you forget, we have water available for purchase at the studio. Drink plenty of water after your class to help flush out toxins released from muscles and organs during class.

Storage of stuff?

Please store your personal items in the cubbies just off the lobby. The studio door will be locked when class begins. And please remember to turn your cell phone off, and most definitely do not bring it into class.

Food? What if I have gas?

You might be uncomfortable during class if you just ate. So avoid eating during the two hours prior to class. However, practice what is and feels good for YOUR body. Please do not chew gum during class. And guess what? Things move around during yoga and sometimes out- like gas! It's all good.

Can I get a mat?

Many students prefer to have their own mat, but we rent them for a $3.

Can I leave my mat?

Feel free to bring your own mat to class. We have free mat storage, but it is recommended to store your mat in a bag or tied with a strap, and have your name written on your mat. Otherwise it gets mixed in with our rentals! Brown Dog Yoga isn’t responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged belongings you leave at the studio.

When does BDY open?

Doors to the studios are opened within 15 minutes before class time. We promptly lock the studio door at the start of class for the safety of students and their possessions. The retail shop is open M-Th from 4-7 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Are You a New Student?

What Can I Expect?

At Brown Dog Yoga, we believe that yoga is for “every body.” There are a variety of styles, techniques, and yoga traditions, and our classes will vary depending on the instructor and their class style. You won’t see an “intermediate” or “advanced” descriptor on our classes because we believe that your yoga is YOUR yoga. Each and every day, we are all “beginning” and with any luck we are all on a journey to a greater awareness of ourselves.

All of this said, there are some common elements to many yoga classes:

Centering and Intention: We usually begin class with a centering practice, such as focusing on the breath or setting of an intention. The intention is personal and is used to guide you through your practice. It may be as simple as “may I breath easy during my practice.” The setting of an intention is very personal, and if it is your choice, optional.

Warm up: Most yoga classes begin with gentle movement, leading into more active movement, typically involving “sun salutations.” There are many different versions of sun salutations, but in a nutshell a sun salutation is a series of postures that are repeated in the same order a few times. Think of a sun salutation as a little wake up for the body to prepare it for your yoga journey.

Ending with final relaxation: Classes start in many different ways, but most yoga classes end with “savasana” or corpse pose. All you have to do is lie down, close your eyes, slow your mind and relax your body. Savasana helps you clear your mind and settle down. Think of savasana as a “cleaning out” process and a vehicle to aid you in self-realization.